Superclusters in Canada

Superclusters in Canada

Canada is in a global innovation race. The nation is competing with countries around the world for the most talented people, the newest technologies, and the fastest-growing companies. As part of the Innovation and Skills Plan—an agenda to spark growth and help Canada realize its potential as a global leader in innovation—we intend to accelerate business-led innovation superclusters to deliver real results for Canadians.

Clusters are dense area of business activity containing a critical mass of large and small companies, post-secondary and other research institutions. They energize the economy and act as engines of growth.

Superclusters build on the advantages of a cluster. Comparatively, these innovation hotbeds have stronger connections, a long-term competitive advantage, global brand recognition, and an outsized positive impact on job creation and economic growth.

Canada is home to world-class innovation and industrial clusters, with strong technology leadership. These clusters are engines of innovation that support the development and growth of globally competitive Canadian companies. The Government of Canada wants to strengthen Canada's most promising clusters so that Canada continues to develop and attract the best ideas, brightest talent and smart capital necessary for success.

Through the Innovation Superclusters Initiative, we will invest up to $950 million over five years, starting in 2017–2018, to support business-led innovation superclusters with the greatest potential to build world-leading innovation ecosystems, secure Canada's future as an innovation leader, and accelerate economic growth. To build a better Canada, the Innovation Superclusters Initiative is intended to be truly responsive to industry demand. Leaders from across highly innovative industries are invited to engage in transformational thinking to identify the specific activities, priorities and initiatives with the greatest potential to accelerate a supercluster advantage by building on strengths and addressing gaps in their regional innovation ecosystems.